When a drunk accosts Laura and Rob in a downtown bar, Laura surprises Rob by using a judo throw that flattens the man. Rob begins to feel inadequate as the "protector" of his household and sets out to prove a point with Laura.
After a mix up by Mel for reservations at a lodge, Rob, Laura, Sally and Buddy are forced to spend a frightening night in a cabin that has not been used in years and is rumored to be haunted.
Roger, a babysitter in high school whom the Petries adore, develops a huge crush on Laura, and Rob, not realizing who is involved, encourages him to express his love to the object of his desire.
An old friend of Rob's shows up to offer him a job with his hugely successful but racy gentlemen's magazine. Rob says he won't do it, but Laura is not so sure. Rob is sorely tempted by the wining, dining, and the beautiful girls.
A red rose found in Sally's desk bespeaks of a secret admirer, but when she learns it's Bert the jocular deli man, she doesn't take it seriously (but should).
Rob relates the story of how he and Laura became friends with Lyle Delp, a convict in prison. Lyle had robbed the Petries years ago in an elevator, but then the three were trapped together when the elevator stuck.
The gang from the show agrees to put on a show for Lyle and his fellow inmates in prison. They unwisely choose to wear prisoner uniforms for their show, and Rob gets mistaken for a real prisoner.
To help Rob, Millie sends raving pseudo fan letters praising Alan Brady for hosting a "brainy" documentary show on comedy that Rob wrote - only the show doesn't air, and the letters meant to help Rob could help him right out of his job.
On learning they're not the highest paid writers for their highest rated show, Sally and Buddy go on strike. Rob, speaking on their behalf for raises, gets a bewildering introduction to Alan's convoluted corporate structure.
Rob struggles to hide the severe symptoms of a flu virus at a family party for Laura's relatives rather than admit she was right against him golfing earlier that morning in damp conditions.
Mel wants a magazine reporter to watch the writers at work, but Rob thinks they'll all end up performing for the reporter instead of getting anything done. Turns out, that's not the half of it.
A genial hobo finds the show's script that Rob lost en route home, but Rob's extended description of its irreplaceable value gives the man the idea to hold it for ransom.
After Buddy targets Rob for a crank phone call, he expects a reprisal, but the longer Rob takes to pay him back, the more paranoid Buddy becomes, suspecting everything and everybody.
Fresh out of the Army, Stacey Petrie arrives to open his nightclub and marry his fiancée - whom he's never met. A practice date with Sally seems in order to help combat his shyness.
Stacey waits till the day before his club opening to fess up to Julie about the author of her love letters from "Jim," with the success of his new nightclub resting precariously on their meeting's outcome.
Rob agrees to have a popular British singing duo spend the night at his home when they appear on Alan's show. There's one catch: he's sworn to secrecy and cannot tell anyone about it for fear of touching off a Beatlemania-like fan frenzy.
Rob recognizes a new song playing on the radio as one he co-wrote back in his army days, and the fact that he recently may have given away all rights to it festers.
Sally falls head over heels over handsome, suave Anthony Stone, whom she met while on vacation in Jamaica. All is not what it seems as Rob and Buddy uncover a shocking secret about Sally's new boyfriend that will only cause heartache.
Rob and Laura have no choice but to wear gloves to an important community banquet due to an unusual accident while dying a costume for Ritchie's school play.
Buddy always says "I could've gotten it for you wholesale" but always after the fact, so Sally dares him to prove it when Rob wants to buy Laura a fur coat.
